June 1st 2020
- Karlie -
One of the bullets fired into the bathroom left a flesh wound on my arm but other than that we were uninjured. There was one final gunshot after those stopped and Kieran Emerson was shot and taken away by the SWAT team sent in to apprehend him.
"Mama!" I turn around as I hear Rosie's voice and I kneel down to take the little one in my arms, wincing as she collides with my bandaged arm. They took me to the emergency room to be checked out and Auggie was taken back to Taylor but I had to speak to the police before I could see any of them.
"Hi," I give Taylor a teary smile as I lift Rosie, holding the little girl on my hip as I pull the blonde into a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay," she sighs as I feel her tears fall onto my shoulder, "we're all okay, Teff, all four of us."
Fortunately the social worker was left unharmed too. He shot into the wall beside her but everyone is okay. We haven't heard much about any other casualties yet.
I sit Rosie down on the gurney beside the baby sleeping in his car seat and I shake my head as I hold Taylor's hand. This day was crazy but I am so thankful that they are all okay, I don't know what I would have done if something happened to them.
"I'm going to go and discharge you and then we can go home," I nod as she squeezes my hand, kissing her gently before she goes to the reception desk for the paperwork. "I was scared," Ro is clinging to her giraffe as she looks up to me and I give her a warm smile as I nod, "me too."
I look between the five year old and her baby brother, "but there is absolutely nothing to be scared of anymore, okay? Your daddy is gone forever and mama and i will always protect you, Rosie, nobody is ever going to hurt you again." I pull her into my lap as I stop myself crying and I press a kiss to her forehead, taking a shaky breath as I watch August sleep. He's so oblivious to all of the pain and evil that surrounded him today, but I can swear from this second that neither of them will ever know that kind of pain again. I would give my life to protect them.
---
"I'll drive," Taylor gives me a warning glare as we get to the car and I nod, knowing that it's best not to argue, especially after the day we've had.
"There you go, sweet boy," I lift the car seat onto the base and clip it in, making sure that August is safe and secure as Taylor buckles Ro in. I close the door and get into the passenger's seat, letting my head fall back against the headrest as I sigh.
I don't even want to think about how different today could have ended. If Teff hadn't taken Rosie to the bathroom when she did then who knows if we all would have made it out of that room alive.
"We're all safe, Kar," I hadn't even noticed Taylor get in but she laces her fingers through mine as she watches me and I nod, leaning in to kiss her, desperate to feel the familiar comfort. "I love you so much," I whisper the words as I lean my forehead against hers and she smiles, "I love you too, Karlie, more than the world."
- Taylor -
Neither of us felt much like cooking when we got home so Karlie is ordering us some food as I cuddle with Rosie and August. The little one doesn't really understand what happened today, all she knows is that there was a scary situation but now everything is fine and we're all safe. All I'm scared of now is how much this is going to affect Karlie. I know how scared I felt so I can't imagine how much worse it was for her.
"Dinner is on the way," I look up as the model walks back into the living room. She's wearing a smile but at this point I'm not sure who she thinks it's helping. "And momma is just in time to start Frozen with us," I smile as I hold a hand out to Karlie, pulling her down into the empty space at my side.
Rosie is cuddled up with Avie and her blanket as she sits on the other side of me and August is fast asleep as he lies in his support pillow thing on the ottoman in front of us. So I trap Karlie in the corner of the couch and the model laughs as I wrap my arms around her waist and lie my head directly over where her heart is beating.
Rosie is enamored by the film but I am focused on Karlie, just so beyond grateful to be in her arms right now. "I'm okay, Teffy," I feel gentle lips against my forehead as she speaks and I sigh as I look up to the model. "I know, I just love you so much, Karlie, and for a moment I really thought I might have lost you." It's the most heartbreaking thing I could ever imagine but God knows what could have happened if we were all together.
"I know, baby, but I'm here and we're all okay," she hugs me tighter, but I ease her out of my embrace when she winces in pain. Luckily that coincides with August starting to fuss so I pick him up and settle him in my arms as I cuddle up beside Karlie where I can't hurt her.
"Mama, can I get some water please?" Rosie looks over to us and Karlie kisses my forehead before getting up, "of course you can, monkey." She scoops Rosie up as the five year old giggles, "I'll make a bottle for Auggie too, he's bound to be hungry pretty soon." She laughs as she plops the giggling little girl down beside me and I smile, "you're a dream."
Karlie disappears out of the room and Rosie cuddles into me as I smile. We never really talked to her about calling us mommy or mama but it kind of came naturally every so often, I think its more of a comfort thing, especially today, but we're not going to push her about it.
Rosie rests her head on August's tummy as he lays against my legs and I smile as the little guy watches his big sister. "He loves you, Ro," she's so obsessed with him and its so nice to see, "he's biting me," she giggles like a crazy person as she holds her face just above his and I grab his pacifier as I wipe the saliva from Rosie's face.
"Just in time," I laugh as Karlie holds out a bottle and I take it as the model sits down beside me, "water for the monkey," she hands Ro her water bottle too and the little girl smiles brightly as she thanks Kar. She wraps her arm around my waist as I feed the baby and I cuddle into her side, smiling as I watch the two kids.
This time last year I would never have imagined that this was where my life was going. I was so scared to even start a relationship with Karlie six months ago and now we're raising two kids, basically living together and we both know that marriage is our end goal. I love her more than anything and I've known that for a long time, I'm just happy that we're finally in a really good place.
"That will be our dinner," she wiggles her eyebrows as my phone buzzes, letting us know that someone is at the gate. "Let's go grab some plates, Ro," Karlie goes to answer the door and I get up, Rosie following me to the kitchen as I carry August. The little one helps me set the table since I don't have any free hands and Karlie quickly comes bounding back into the kitchen with our food and a huge smile on her face.
I'm the luckiest person on this planet to have such a perfect little family. This is my world now. I don't need anything else.
- Karlie -
"Alright, baby girl, sleep tight," I brush blonde locks out of Rosie's face as the little one starts to drift off. Compared to the chaos of our afternoon we had a peaceful evening. Ro insisted on helping give her baby brother his first bath and then I went through her bedtime routine with her, putting on her pyjamas and reading a story. Now she's basically asleep but I can't take my eyes off of her perfect little face. It may not have started this way but she's our baby girl and there is nothing more perfect in the world.
"I love you, Rosie Posie," I smile and press one last kiss to her forehead before getting up, making sure that she's properly tucked in and stopping at the door. I observe her one last time, the nightlight projecting stars around her, and I sigh. I could have lost everything today but we're all here and safe and I'm going to spend every second of the rest of my life thankful for that.
"Is she asleep?" Taylor looks up to me as I walk back into the living room, the singer pacing the room with Auggie in her arms. I smile as I nod, "she doesn't have a care in the world, all she's worried about is whether we'll be able to play outside tomorrow." I shake my head, smiling as I walk up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.
"He's oblivious," she sighs, both of us watching the sleeping newborn, "thank god." I'm so glad that he won't have the memories that I do.
We stay like that for a few moments and then I let her go, offering to take August from her. We have a bunch of stuff being delivered for him within the next few days but other than his little pillow we have nowhere to put him down. Although, I think we're both just a little paranoid about not having him in our arms.
"We should go to bed, you have a meeting tomorrow and I'm sure it's going to be a long night," Taylor laughs as she kisses my cheek and I nod, it's going to be an interesting few days adjusting to having this little guy. "I'll take him upstairs - you take your time," I rub her back and she nods so I kiss her one last time before heading up to our room.
August has a bassinet right at the end of our bed for easy access and Taylor and I agreed on sharing the night feeds and diaper changes, but I think we both know this is going to be a rough couple of days.
"There we go, baby boy, its time for bed," I coo as I lay him down, hoping that he'll stay asleep. "We already got off to an interesting start, huh buddy?" I sigh, watching him sleep as I perch in the end of the bed, "I promise you'll never have to experience anything like that ever again, Auggie. Your mommy and I, we're going to give you both everything you need, you're going to be so loved." Tears form in my eyes as I watch him, the thought that I was so close to losing everything I love all over again, its tearing me apart.
I shake my head, he's so innocent and he's going to grow up to be happy and loved and safe. "I have bottles and diapers so hopefully we should be set," Taylor laughs as she walks into the room, the blonde carrying a couple of bottles and a stack of diapers. "We'll be alright," I blink away the tears and give her a smile as I leave the newborn in his bassinet and get in beside Tay.
She sighs as I wrap her in my arms and hold her close, "I love you so much," I press a gentle kiss to her forehead and Taylor nods, "I love you too, Kar."
---
It didn't take long for us to fall asleep once we were in bed but it also didn't take long after that for August to wake us up again.
"I've got him, go back to sleep," I sigh as I push myself up, it's 2am and this feels like the millionth time the little guy has woken up. Taylor just mumbles and then rolls back over as I get out of bed.
I retrieve the newborn and check his diaper but he's all set in that department so I go to grab him a bottle instead but they're both empty. "Okay, Auggie, cuddle with mommy for a minute," Taylor groans as I bring the baby over to her, kissing her forehead as she cuddles him, "I'm going to make bottles, I'll be quick."
I yawn as I leave the room and venture down to the kitchen. I had already anticipated that sleep deprivation was going to be part of my life for a while, but I'm already exhausted. I grab a few clean bottles and make them up too so that Taylor won't have to come back down here when it's her turn.
I hear August starting to scream upstairs and I sigh, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I wait for the bottle to finish heating up.
When I get back upstairs Taylor is pacing with Auggie to try and stop his crying. I put the two prepped bottles on the nightstand beside the armchair and then I take the baby from Teff to feed him, "I know, baby boy, you're hungry," I coo as I take the lid off, slipping the bottle into his mouth and easing off his cries.
"Go back to bed, babe, I've got him," I turn to Taylor and she shakes her head, "I'm already up so I'm gonna go and check on Ro." She presses a kiss to my cheek and I nod, "kiss her for me." She disappears out of the bedroom and I sink into the cosy armchair by the bed, cuddling him up in my arms as he eats. "You call the shots around here now, huh?" He's been in our care officially for less than twenty four hours and he already has Taylor and I wrapped around his little finger.
Taylor reappears soon after, smiling as she tells me that Rosie is still fast asleep. We were both worried about Auggie keeping her up at night but luckily it seems like she's a heavy sleeper. "Little mister is really giving us a run for our money," she smiles as she sits on the edge of the bed closest to us and I nod, laughing as I watch his little face.
"I'm scared, Tay," I let my smile falter for just a second and Taylor rests her hand on my knee, "I know, Karls, but it's all going to be okay. Nothing bad can happen to us now, we're all safe." I nod as I look up to her and I can read the same fear in Taylor's eyes. I was nervous before but today really scared me. I have so much to lose and I don't know how to be enough to protect them.